Men, especially young men, have a strong desire to have a beard that looks good on them. And indeed, science has proven that too:
“Thus, the beard appears to augment the effectiveness of human aggressive facial displays.” ~Source
But there is one question that remains unanswered in the eyes of many men all around the world. Should they keep a hard beard, or a soft beard? Now we know for a fact that some of you might be wondering as to what a hard beard is? And what is a soft one? Well need not to worry, simply read on to find this out. And at the end we will find out as to which beard should you keep?
So, What Exactly Is a Hard Beard?
If you’re a man, you’re most likely going to find your beard getting hard and split with the passage of time. This is due to a number of reasons, the gist of which is the environment, your hydration and your routine of cleaning the beard. We will be going over these scenarios in detail here.
It Lacks Moisture
This is one of the biggest reasons. When the stubble starts to grow, you will notice that all the strands are much softer. But with the passage of time, they get more and more exposure to things like dust, dirt, heat and such. These reasons will make them harden.
The longer your hair is, the rougher they will generally be. This is because the protective layer at the edges will be destroyed. This damages it then moves on to other layers of the beard, causing your entire beard to be split and brittle.
Using Shampoo and Soap
Shampoo and soap are known to have chemicals that are harmful for the beard. Many men will simply just apply the same shampoo on their beard, as they would on their scalp. This will further cause the hair to become weaker. The body produces its own natural oils that get destroyed by all these chemicals.
Even worse is when using these shampoos and soaps, men will sometimes use them in excess. The consequence of such can be extra shampoo not getting washed at all, in some places of the beard. This will lead to further damage.
Low Temperatures
Men who live in cold climates know for a fact that winter can be quite harsh for their beards in particular. This is because of a general lack of moisture in the air, which leads to damage to the hair strands. The solution to this is using beard oil on a daily basis.
Dehydration and Hard Water
Dehydration, believe it or not, can also cause create a hard beard. Again, this is because of a lack of moisture getting to all the strands. What can be done to alleviate this situation is the easiest of all fixes. Just drink more water.
However, the same water can also be harmful for the beard. Hard water that is! Hard water has minerals. Now on the surface that might sound as something beneficial, but it isn’t. These minerals damage the hair strands and their protective layer further. It will cause even more damage if you are not using any suitable shampoo and conditioner.
And What Is a Soft Beard?
A soft beard is what actually every bearded man wants. For one, they don’t make you seem homeless. Secondly, they don’t itch either. But there are ways to ensure that your beard stays soft, shiny and moisturized. We will be going over some of the ways how that can be done, so you can have some awesome beard cheek line styles.
Don’t Be Stressed:
Stress can cause many types of bodily damage. And indeed, it can hamper the growth and development of your beard too. The simple solution in this regard to having a soft beard is to be as humanely relaxed as a man could be.
Let It Grow
This might be the most obvious of all solutions to having a soft and overall great beard. Let it grow from all sides, so as to keep some great beard cheek line styles as well as African American beard styles. Unless you want it to be trimmed, so you don’t end up looking homeless, you may use the right type of trimmer to get the job done. Otherwise, barbers exist, and for a good reason.
Have A Proper Beard Care Routine
Let’s face it. You can keep a soft beard only if you take out the time to keep it that way. Thus, we have come up with a routine that you may choose to follow if you want to.
1. Brush It When Showering
Using a brush will not only stimulate the hair follicles (the root of the hair) but will also tear apart the buildup of harmful chemicals and oil that is taking place there. It will also clear out all the dead skin.
2. Beard Shampoo and Conditioner
Yes, as strange as it may sound to some, the “same old shampoo” that you have should absolutely not be applied to your beard. Beard shampoos are different and should be applied after the beard has gotten thoroughly wet in the shower. After that, wash it off completely and use the conditioner. Both of these should be applied using the fingertips, from one end to the other.
The conditioner should be used in a generous quantity and then be washed off thoroughly. Apart from moisturizing the hair and keeping them soft, it also gives moisture to the skin underneath the beard.
3. Beard Oil
Beard oils come quite legitimately in all varieties. But the best one will be made from an assortment of other natural oils. It is not just beneficial in keeping your beard soft, but it also gives it a shine while moisturizing it. Here is how you can apply it.
- Take the bottle and drop a few drops.
- Rub it on to your palms.
- Apply it from the base of the hair all the way to the end, gently, with your fingertips.
4. Beard Balm
It has the same qualities as beard oils do. Of course, the biggest difference is it’s solid and has a creamlike texture to it. It also keeps the beard soft and easy-to-manage. Other than that, it smells good too. You can read more on beard balms and oils here.
5. Showering with Hot Water
Hot water is notoriously bad for all kinds of hair, including beard hair. It is best to shower up to 15 minutes a day only when you are showering with hot water. Any longer than that will damage the hair.
6. Don’t Shave It
In the book named Pathology, Nature, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Prognosis, Causes Hygiene and Medical Treatment that was first printed back in 1875, Dr Dutcher also says that men shouldn’t shave their beards as they prevent throat and lung-diseases.
So, obviously, letting it grow, but occasionally trimming it so you don’t end up looking jobless is a key to keeping your beard soft.
In Conclusion
A soft beard is the way to go, but it has to be maintained at all cost. If your beard gets exposed to the chemical elements, or if you’re not hydrated well, it will cause you to develop a hard beard. Applying beard oil might solve quite a lot of the beard related problems for men.